• EnglishName: Rusty jobfish
  • Local Name : Fashuvi rankaru mas
  • Size : Max. 80 cm
  • Family: Order : Specimen
  • Distinctive Characters: Dorsal fin with 10 spines and 10-11 rays. No notch on the dorsal fin. Anal with 3 spines and 8 rays. Pectoral fin with 15-16 rays. Gill rakers on the lower limb (including rudiments) 30-34. Body relatively slender. No teeth on roof of mouth. Lower jaw protruding. Fins scale less. Caudal fin deeply forked.
    Colour: Usually reddish tending silvery below. Edge of maxilla black. Upper jaw edged with black. Fins yellowish to reddish except pelvic and anal fins which are sometimes whitish.
  • Habitat and Biology: Occurs on coral reefs, rocky and sandy bottoms at 50 to at least 100 m depth. Feeds on small crustaceans, other sand dwelling invertebrates and fish.
  • Distribution: Indo-West Pacific.
  • Remarks: Of the two related species of Aphareus, this is the larger and apparently the more deep-dwelling.
    The Dhivehi name, ‘Fashuvi rankaru mas’, means fish with the golden thread gill rakers.
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Biodiversity of Maldives
Biodiversity of Maldives